diff --git a/pkg/config/builder.go b/pkg/config/builder.go
index 3e81947..49d59f5 100644
--- a/pkg/config/builder.go
+++ b/pkg/config/builder.go
@@ -360,10 +360,11 @@ func getGCOptions(gcName string, jvmMajor int) []string {
 	case "Shenandoah":
 		return []string{"-XX:+UseShenandoahGC"}
 	case "ZGC":
-		zgcOpts := []string{"-XX:+UseZGC"}
+		zgcOpts := make([]string, 0, 1)
 		if jvmMajor < 17 {
 			zgcOpts = append(zgcOpts, "-XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions")
 		}
+		zgcOpts = append(zgcOpts, "-XX:+UseZGC")
 		return zgcOpts
 	default:
 		// User needs to define all the settings
diff --git a/pkg/config/builder_test.go b/pkg/config/builder_test.go
index 6b9a36f..663ac4b 100644
--- a/pkg/config/builder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/config/builder_test.go
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ func TestGCOptions(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal([]string{"-XX:+UseShenandoahGC"}, getGCOptions("Shenandoah", 11))
 	assert.Equal([]string{"-XX:+UseShenandoahGC"}, getGCOptions("Shenandoah", 17))
 
-	assert.Equal([]string{"-XX:+UseZGC", "-XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions"}, getGCOptions("ZGC", 11))
+	assert.Equal([]string{"-XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions", "-XX:+UseZGC"}, getGCOptions("ZGC", 11))
 	assert.Equal([]string{"-XX:+UseZGC"}, getGCOptions("ZGC", 17))
 }